South Georgia trooper prayed for trooper injured in shooting

A Georgia State Patrol Trooper is recovering in a hospital after he was shot during a police chase. Troopers in South Georgia hope Trooper Fields makes a speedy recovery.

Law enforcement officers know what happened to Trooper Jacob Fields on I-75 in Cobb County could happen to any of them. Trooper Jack Stripling with Post 40 in Albany says as soon as he heard about this afternoon's shooting, he said a prayer for Fields.

"Your first concern is the trooper ok,” said Trooper Jack Stripling, Georgia State Patrol. “Is the officer ok in any type of officer involved shooting. Your first thought that goes through your head is to pray that he's ok. He or she's ok."

The chase lasted 10 miles. Other troopers helped Fields attempt a box-in maneuver to try to stop the suspect. Fields was shot in the lower abdomen and once in the leg. Stripling says being a trooper is a job you must have a passion for.

"Because ultimately you know that you may come into that situation that that trooper had up in Atlanta today,” said Stripling. “It's something that you keep in the back of your mind, but you also keep your main goal to make it home at night."

Stripling has been with the Georgia State Patrol for five years.

"The ultimate goal is to get out of here and to serve the citizens and help them out and be there for people in the time of need, and being a state trooper is something that we're able to do,” said Stripling.

Stripling says the Georgia State Patrol is one big family.

"When you go through trooper school you form a bond with your brothers and sisters that are there and once you get the blue shirt you all become a family,” said Stripling.

It’s the family in blue supporting Jacob Fields tonight.

The GBI is investigating the chase and shooting along with an internal investigation done by the GSP.

Children play non-competitive baseball to grow teamwork skills (Source: WALB)

Some children with special needs hit the baseball diamond for their fourth season today! The Challenger League, a Leesburg-based non-profit, gives children with special needs the opportunity to play non-competitive sports with each other.

Some children with special needs hit the baseball diamond for their fourth season today! The Challenger League, a Leesburg-based non-profit, gives children with special needs the opportunity to play non-competitive sports with each other.